The battle between WordPress and Wix is a timeless one. There are many website-building platforms on the market, and you might feel confused about which one to choose for your small business website. Both of these website builders offer something different and cater to specific users. They both have pros and cons, but how do you know which is better for your business? Let’s look at their features and see if you should use WordPress or Wix for your site.
WordPress vs. Wix At A Glance
According to our evaluation of the top website builders, Wix and WordPress are both solid options for creating a website. Wix includes website and hosting in one monthly payment alongside a free plan, which we will get into later. WordPress.org is free but requires you to get site hosting from a third party.
Wix is simple to operate but not as customizable as WordPress.org. The same applies to WordPress.org, which has a learning curve that Wix doesn’t have. Wix is a simple site builder with extensive layouts, ideal for portfolio-oriented websites. Creating a large website with WordPress is possible, but it requires a lot of knowledge. The flexibility to provide more to your visitors is undoubtedly a win.
Wix also provides technical support on all its packages, while WordPress is a free and open-source platform and requires you to handle all technology concerns yourself.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a free content management system (CMS) that you can use to build a website or online blog. It’s one of the world’s most widely used blogging platforms and content management systems, powering millions of websites. WordPress’s open-source nature has allowed for a diverse ecosystem of themes and plugins that make it easy to create a website for any niche, from personal blogs to professional publications. If you’re looking to create a small business website, WordPress is a great option. It’s easy to use and has a large community of experts and enthusiasts to help you set up your site. WordPress also offers flexibility in terms of creating the design of your site. You can choose from thousands of free and paid themes that let you customize your site’s design.
What Is Wix?
Wix is a cloud-based service that provides users with a drag-and-drop website builder. Wix is one of the most straightforward web hosting services, making it ideal for those who don’t have a lot of experience with website design and development. The Wix editor is also very intuitive and easy to use. You can create a website for your small business with a few clicks. Wix’s primary focus is on ease of use and simple website creation. Its website builder is very beginner-friendly and intuitive. Wix’s simplicity and ease of use also make it an excellent option for people not interested in getting into the nitty-gritty of web design and development.
WordPress Pros for Small Businesses
Building your website is a great way to build your brand and authority in your niche. You can collect leads and create an email list to keep in touch with your audience. You can also use your site as a sales funnel and sell your products or services directly. If you choose to host your website on WordPress, here’s why it could benefit you.
- WordPress regularly patches security holes in its core software and has a host of built-in security features, like two-factor authentication, HTTPS by default, and malware scanning.
- WordPress also makes it easy to launch your site and keep it updated.
- Thousands of free and premium themes are available, and you can easily switch between them as often as you like.
- Easy to sell products or collect payments on your site.
- WordPress is also great for SEO if you plan on using it as your main website.
- You can find additional information, resources, and guides on community forums.
- You can also hire a developer to create a custom site for you.
WordPress Cons for Small Businesses
WordPress is excellent for building a website and hosting content, but it isn’t meant for everyone. Things to watch out for:
- WordPress is regularly updated and patches vulnerabilities, but it isn’t bulletproof. If you don’t diligently keep your site updated, you run the risk of your site getting hacked.
- A lot of malware can be traced back to outdated WordPress installations that have not been updated in a long time.
- One of the cons for small businesses is that it lacks official support.
Is WordPress Free?
Yes, the WordPress core software is free. You can download it and use it in any way you want, including customizing it, extending it, redistributing it, and even selling it, as long as you use the GPL license. However, if you want an amazing website, you will need to pay for some things, like hosting (though note: we offer migrations if you’d like to change your hosting provider), some premium plugins and themes, and support. The amount you get for free and the amount you’ll need to pay is up to you.
Wix Pros for Small Businesses
Wix is a great website builder for small businesses because it’s easy to use and has everything you need in one package. Here’s why:
- Wix has a wide variety of website templates to launch a site quickly and easily. These templates are fully customizable and look great even if you don’t have any design experience.
- If you want to sell products or accept payments on your site, Wix has an e-commerce app that lets you set up a store in a few clicks.
- You can also use Wix’s marketing tools to promote your products and drive sales.
- Wix also offers SEO tools that you can use to make sure your site is optimized for search engines.
Wix Cons for Small Businesses
Wix is an excellent tool for building a simple website, but it may not be the best option if you want to create something more complex.
- You may encounter difficulties if you want to integrate your site with third-party services like shopping carts or email marketing platforms.
- Wix also has limited customization options. If you want to change the source code of your site or customize the design, you may have a hard time.
- Wix does have some customization options, but you won’t be able to do a lot with a basic plan.
Is Wix Free?
Wix is free, but you will see ads on your site. But it’s not ideal if you’re building a serious business. Wix will show ads on your website every time someone visits your website. It won’t leave the best impression on your customers. You need to upgrade to a paid plan if you want to get rid of the ads, sell anything, or use your domain name. Paid plans start at $16 per month, and e-commerce plans start at $27 per month.
Wix’s free plan is great for anyone who’s just starting. If you want to see if a website builder is for you, then it’s a great choice.
Not to mention, your website’s URL isn’t even your own. It’s a subdomain name owned by Wix. They can take it away whenever they want if they change their policies.
If you are a serious business owner, you might want to consider upgrading.
Bottom Line
WordPress and Wix are great for building a website, but they differ in many ways. If you are starting your business, Wix is an excellent option because it is easy to use. If you want something with more customization options, WordPress is a better choice. That being said, the best way to figure out which tool is right for you is to reach out to us for a free strategy session. We can help you select the one you feel might be the best fit for your small business needs and goals.
